Congratulations! Your offer has been accepted and your new house will be ready for you to move in once you close. Now it’s time to start thinking about how to get all of your belongings from your old house to your new one. You have two basic options. You can choose to pack your stuff and move it yourself or you can hire a moving company to do it for you. Typically, this decision will be based on a couple of factors. The first one is what is your budget? And the second one is how far are you moving?

If you are just moving across town, it might be more cost effective for you to wrangle up a few friends and do the heavy lifting yourself. It certainly is a hassle and people generally find something else to do when a friend has to move, but if you’re strapped for cash, and you don’t have far to go, this is probably the best move.

If you can afford it, hiring professional movers can remove a lot of stress from your shoulders. You leave the hard work to them and you are free to concern yourself with other aspects of your move. However, it can be difficult to find a moving company you know you can trust with your belongings. You don’t want to leave all of your earthly possessions in the hands of an unknown company that just popped up overnight.

Unfortunately, people who are moving have just spent a lot of money on buying the new house and they are looking to save money wherever they can. It can be tough to shell out a ton of cash for a reputable moving company, but when you consider the alternative of losing your belongings or having them damaged, it’s probably worth spending a bit more to protect your assets.

To make sure you are not making a mistake with a moving company, there are a few actions you can take to minimize your exposure to fraud. First, start looking for a moving company as soon as you know for sure you are moving. At least two months’ advance notice is required by many of the better companies. Talk to your friends about their experiences with movers, check their reputation with the Better Business Bureau and other watchdog groups, and investigate how long they have been in business.

One of the best places to start looking for a company is through your real estate agent. He or she can give you practical advice as to what to look for in a reputable company. From that point, ask all the questions you can think of to be sure the mover can deliver exactly what you need when you need it. Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about the security of your belongings. Don’t leave that job to just anyone.